April 2, 2010: Hiroshima To Tokyo

already opened, together with inward add-on sampled these dried beans from the Nishiki Market.  The stall holder had warned us inward hesitant English linguistic communication that these contained wasabi, which was fine past times us, though nosotros did entertain the possibility that it powerfulness go a lot to a greater extent than wasabi than our non-Japanese sense of savor buds were accustomed to.  Actually, they were delicious - no hotter than the wasabi peas we've sampled inward Australia, less sugariness together with exactly every bit addictive.

It was mid-afternoon earlier nosotros found our way dorsum to Matt's house. He'd left us a note, suggesting nosotros cause got ourselves together with our photographic tv camera to the nearby bridge. We did exactly that on our way out to an early on dinner booking.

My suspicions were confirmed every bit nosotros approached the span - the cherry blossoms were finally inward total bloom!

From in that location nosotros travelled on to our much anticipated 6pm dinner reservation at Bon. This eating seat is best visited after making a telephone reservation inward Japanese, together with Matt had helpfully enlisted i of his to a greater extent than fluent friends to brand arrangements for us during the week.

We knew from the outset that our repast at Bon was probable to go a memorable one.  The English linguistic communication card that nosotros were provided subsequently explains:

Fucha Ryori is a distinctive tradition within Shojin Ryori, the vegetarian cuisine of Zen Buddhist monks inward PRC together with Japan.  About 300 years agone it was introduced to Nippon past times cooks who came from PRC with the monk Ingen, the founder of the Chinese way temple Manpukuji, at Uji nigh Kyoto. This was the outset temple of the Obakushu Zen sect inward Japan, together with since its institution the authentic tradition of Fucha has been handed downward past times devotees of the sect.

The 2 characters used to write "Fucha" hateful "drinking tea together with all people", but the discussion is also used to hateful a repast eaten inward Chinese way (each dish is served from a unmarried large bowl) which begins together with ends with tea, aiming to do friendship together with peace with those eating together.

At Bon nosotros cause got tried to prepare a way of Fucha Ryori which, acre suggesting aspects of Zen the footing of this tradition, also provides for the tastes of the full general public.  In particular, nosotros aim to furnish the fine dishes from the best obtainable seasonal ingredients.

The elevate of our restaurant, Bon, agency "Buddhist believer" together with was chosen every bit a sign of our honour for the origins of Fucha every bit a way of Buddhist practise. 

We were welcomed past times 2 middle-aged ladies inward kimonos together with led to our ain person room, which was set with tatami mats.  (Michael was greatly relieved to detect that, inward spite of the traditional setting, the depression tabular array concealed a deeper flooring infinite where he could stretch out his long together with inflexible legs.)  Here nosotros were left lonely for exactly about fourth dimension to contemplate the tabular array settings earlier us:

Of course of didactics nosotros hadn't a clue what the newspaper said together with after a few minutes of settling in, wondered if nosotros should inspect the items earlier us.  Michael set the newspaper aside together with opened the box underneath it, revealing what appeared to go our outset course.  Like hence many bento boxes earlier it, it looked most besides pretty to eat, together with without exactly about signal from the staff I was reluctant to start.  But to a greater extent than minutes passed together with Michael decided to dig in.  I offered a weak protestation ("They haven't offered us tea yet, don't y'all think they'd cause got poured us tea outset if nosotros were meant to consume yet?") earlier next his Pb together with ultimately existence caught past times i of the staff every bit she returned to invite us to a tea ceremony.  Damn.

As if I wasn't flustered enough, I clumsily pose i of my slippered feet on the entry boards to the tea room together with squeaked "Sumimasen!" when I was corrected.  Once inside, Michael struggled to crease his legs nether him together with I worried that I'd sat inward the incorrect place. The lady performing the ceremony - the i staff fellow member who spoke a picayune English linguistic communication - smiled, gestured together with said exactly "Relax".  I wanted to, together with her skilful grace inward the confront of our cluelessness for certain helped.

The tea ceremony was short, though quite formal together with conducted largely inward silence.  Our hostess gestured discreetly when it was our plow to consume or drinkable together with at the goal offered a few words of explanation, earlier returning us to our dining space.

Here nosotros were finally asked for a drinks order, together with provided with the 12-course card inward English.  The boxes inward forepart of us, listed after the tea ceremony (whoops!), were clearly Shao Ping, the appetiser, together with directly nosotros were allowed to consume them.  The hostess pointed out the greenish garnishes that weren't edible earlier leaving to fetch our drinks.  Yes, it was clear that we'd demand this sort of hand-holding for the ease of our visit.

She returned with these tiny cups of plum liqueur with ice, which nosotros hadn't specifically ordered but were real pleased to try.  Apparently it's made at the restaurant and, boy, it genuinely pose the supermarket-sourced plum liqueur of our 2nd nighttime inward Tokyo inward its place.  This was something else, fragrant together with sophisticated.

The 2nd hostess (who didn't beak English) came to hollo upward our boxes together with instructed me to consume the dark thingies on the goal of the inedible greenish garnish earlier she would cause got it.  She made it clear that nosotros were to consume the greenery served with our Shan Tsu course of didactics - a carrot soup with modest together with real dense slices of smoked tofu on the side.

Next came Shun Kan, a 'decorative presentation of cooked vegetables'.  What a stunner, huh?  I don't think I've e'er seen nutrient presentation to a greater extent than intricate than this.  The outset hostess explained that ingredients together with preparations are chosen seasonally, with the electrical flow card celebrating cherry blossom season.  It's for certain evident hither (and proceed an optic out for the cherry blossom motif inward the other dishes too!).

I must acknowledge that non all of the flavours appealed to me.  The picayune ceramic pot at the dorsum was total of a seaweedy soup, which Michael enjoyed but I didn't similar at all.  I wasn't fond of the texture of the pinkish jelly on the right of the plate either.  But the tiny croquette, crumbed with crushed nuts was lovely together with within the rolled leafage inward the centre was honest-to-goodness MOCHI!  Possibly my best mochi sense yet.

The Un Pen, 'a rich, traditional 17th Century Chinese soup', was exactly about other textural challenge for me.  The vegetables were nice, weakly salty, but the thickened broth didn't appeal hence much.  I convinced Michael to assist complete mine off - I was sure that I'd go struggling to jibe everything inward tonight.

The adjacent several dishes all seemed to go run of the On Sai stage of 'water cooked vegetables of the season'.  First was this handbasket of sashimi-inspired vegetables, all of them bright, fresh together with crisp.  The 2 accompanying flavoured jellies were most off-putting inward their staggering resemblance to seafood. 

These croquettes were stuffed with mushrooms, I think, together with carried on the cherry blossom look.  I've no catch how they posed that zucchini-ish vegetable similar that.

More amazing cherry blossom vegetables, this fourth dimension with edible foil together with a shell that wasn't for eating.

Ma Fu turned out to go chilled sesame tofu real much similar the i we tried at Okutan inward Kyoto, its denseness countered with a wasabi garnish.  This i was also set inward a vinegar broth that made a cleansing finish.

Although this was non the tempura nosotros were expecting, it jibe into the fried theme.  The master copy characteristic was exactly about real tasty, handmade faux-fish made with yuba.

We needn't cause got been concerned, though, every bit nosotros withal got tempura! (This was the Yu Ji course.)

Impeccable presentation yet again, I think this i deserves 2 angles to appreciate.  The internet of noodles was terrific, if hard to consume politely.

By this fourth dimension I was very, very, total together with most despairing at the iv farther courses predicted on the menu.  Mercifully 3 of them arrived inward i sitting - So Ju (miso soup), En Sai (pickles) together with Han Tsu (white rice).  Though they were lovely (the pickles were quite special), I was spent together with could do picayune to a greater extent than than selection at them listlessly.  When our hostess returned I was baffled to listen her offering to a greater extent than rice.  More?!  I'd barely made it through a quarter of my outset bowl.

Naturally I perked upward at the prospect of dessert.  (Though I tin assure y'all it was a barely perceptible 'perk' - I genuinely was incredibly full.)  It arrived on a dauntingly large platter but was appropriately light.

Cherry blossom icecream - dairy costless together with non besides rich, it reminded me of the cashew-based icecreams I've made at abode (though I don't think it was genuinely nut-based).

Fresh fruit!  The i affair I withal welcome at the goal of a large meal.  The apple tree piece had been poached inward something delicious.

Finally, fruit jelly.  It had a theater set together with I gave up, defeated, part-way through.

We declined our hostess' offering of farther drinks together with eased our way out.  By this fourth dimension it seemed most natural to bow my cheers to the women.  It had been an laurels to go served such beautiful, beautiful nutrient past times such gracious people, fifty-fifty if nosotros had paid (23000円 $263 total) for it.  It was a real special way to pass our in conclusion nighttime inward Japan.